Spray nozzle



Dec. 11, 1951 D BENDERSKY ETAL 2,578,392

SPRAY NOZZLE Filed May 14, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 I RAM/K 65 Gym: ZWWLMQE M 16am E E Decrll, 1951 D, BENDERSKY ETAL 2,578,392

SPRAY NOZZLE Filed May 14, 1949 2 SHEETSSI-IEET 2 TZFE T E Patented Dec. 11, 1951 SPRAY NOZZLE David Bendersky and Frank H. Gage, Kansas City,

and Wallace M. Yocum, Independence, Mo., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Viking Corporation, Hastings, Mich a corporation of Michigan Application May 14, 1949, Serial No. 93,394

12 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in spray nozzles, and more particularly, to spray nozzles adapted to control and extinguish fires through fixed installations.

It is well known that fires in general and certain kinds of fires in particular may be more effectively combated and extinguished by the use of water or other liquids in the form of a conical spray of rather large droplets of liquid distributed throughout the spray and traveling with sufficient velocity to penetrate the updraft caused by the fire, than by a solid stream of water or by the use of a finely divided spray in the form of a fog.

In fighting fires through fixed installations, the area that can be covered by the spray is in most instances larger than can be covered by one nozzle. In such instances, several nozzles are used and are so spaced as to cover the required area with the spray.

Where, however, the surface to be protected is sufiiciently small to be covered by the spray from one fixed nozzle, it is desirable that the nozzle produce a solid cone of spray with the droplets of liquid uniformly distributed throughout the entire spray pattern.

Where the complete area cannot be covered by one spray, the edges of the adjacent sprays must overlap so as to obtain complete coverage. In

these installations, it is desirable that the spray from. each nozzle be heavier in and around the l center of the spray than at the edges thereof, so

that a uniform coverage of the protected area may be obtained. Also, in order to cover the greatest possible area with a single nozzle and to minimize the number of nozzles necessary to protect a given surface, it is desirable that the angle of the spray cone be as large as possible, commensurate with suflicient projection to reach the surface required.

For the spray to be effective under various pressure conditions, it is also necessary that the spray nozzle operate satisfactorily over a wide range of pressures, with no material difierence in distribution of the droplets of liquid for these various pressures.

It is also desirable that the nozzle be free from the inserts heretofore used to produce the desired spray pattern, and that all of the nozzle passages and orifices be greater than one-quarter inch in diameter, to make unnecessary the use of strainers to collect foreign matter which may be in the water supply system, as required by the rules governing fixed fire extinguisher installations.

A principal object of our invention is to provide a novel and improved form of spray nozzle which will produce a conical spray of droplets of liquid projected with suflicient velocity to penetrate the heat updrafts of a fire, and having a sufiicient spray angle to cover a relatively large area.

A further object of our invention is to provide a new and improved spray nozzle arranged to produce a spray in the form of a relatively wideangled cone of spray droplets by the interaction of two streams of liquid within the body of the nozzle.

Another object of our invention is to provide a novel and efiicient spray nozzle arranged to produce a. solid cone of spray droplets of liquid uniformly distributed throughout the spray pattern.

A still further object of our invention is to pro vide a method of distributing liquid in the form of relatively large droplets throughout a wideangled conical spray by creating a pressure differential in a flowing stream of liquid and producing a rotating jet from the high pressure side of said pressure differential and a non-rotating jet from the low pressure side of said pressure differential, and in directing the non-rotating jet through the rotating jet.

A more specific object of our invention is to provide a new and improved form of spray nozzle which eliminates the use of inserts in the nozzle and enables the, nozzle passageways to be large enough to be non-clogging by directing a jet of liquid in a rotating path, directing another jet of liquid supplied from a common inlet to said rotating jet in a straight line path through said rotating jet and along the axis of rotation thereof, and by discharging the two jets through a common outlet orifice aligned with the path of the straight line jet.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a liquid nozzle having a hollow cylindrical chamber, with an inlet into said chamber directing liquid tangentially of the Wall thereof, another inlet into one end of said chamber directing liquid in a straight line path axially of the wall thereof, and a liquid diversion passage- Way arranged to divert liquid flowing to the tangential inlet in such a manner as to create a pressure differential between the liquid entering the chamber through the axial inlet and the liquid flowing through the tangential inlet, with the pressure of the liquid flowing through the tangential inlet greater than that of the liquid flowing through the axial inlet.

A further specific object of our invention is to provide a spray nozzle having a hollow cylindrical chamber with a straight line inlet into fit a. said chamber from one end thereof, a tangential inlet leading tangentially into said chamber, and a simple and novel means for balancing the whirling liquid entering through said tangential inlet.

These and other objects of our invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of nozzle constructed in accordance with our invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the nozzle shown in Figure 1, taken substantially along line 11-11 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line III. .II of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken through a modified form of nozzle constructed in accordance with our invention;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of the nozzle shown in Figure 4 and taken along line VV of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a plan view of still another form of nozzle construction in accordance with our invention; and

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along line VII-VII of Figure 6.

Referring now in particular to the form of our invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, the nozzle shown therein comprises a body It having a hollow cylindrical chamber II formed therein, with a threaded inlet portion I2 extending therefrom in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said chamber. The chamber, as herein shown, opens from one end of said body and the open end thereof is shown as being of a larger diameter than the inside diameter of said chamber, and as being threaded to receive a threaded end member Id having a central opening forming a diverging conical outlet orifice I5 of the nozzle. The inside of the member i l has a cylindrical wall It in alignment with and forming a part of the wall of the chamher i I and has a conical inlet section converging therefrom to the diverging conical outlet orifice It is apparent that the angle of the outlet orifice may vary to change the spray angle, where desired, by the substitution of different end members having different outlet orifices from the one shown herein.

The inner end of said member I4 is beveled toward the inner edge thereof, as indicated by reference numeral ii. The beveled end IT is adapted to engage a similarly inclined surface leading from the cylindrical portion of the chamber II to the threaded portion thereof to form a seal between the chamber H and said end member It.

An inlet passageway is leads through the inlet portion and may discharge tangentially of the wall of the chamber Ii through a groove 2%) formed in the wall of said chamber, and extending therealong for a part Of the circumference thereof as shown in Figure 2. As herein shown, said groove extends around the wall of said chamber for at least 180 and serves as a balancing groove to obtain a balanced condition of the whirling stream of liquid entering the chamber I I through the inlet passage I9. This balancing groove gives the same effect as if two tangential inlets, spaced 180 apart, were provided in said chamber. Thus, half of the liquid entering said chamber through the tangential inlet follows the groove around to the opposite side of said 4 chamber, where it is then projected into said chamber. The other half of the tangential stream of liquid is projected into said chamber as it enters said chamber.

In order to avoid the formation of a hollow cone of spray and to provide a conical spray with droplets of liquid distributed throughout the spray, we provide an inlet 2i entering the opposite end of the chamber 1 I from the outlet orifice i5, and in alignment with said orifice. This last mentioned inlet directs a rectilinear stream of liquid axially of said chamber, which interacts with the whirling jet of liquid within said chamber, to produce a solid cone of spray leaving the discharge orifice 55. A liquid diverting passageway 22 leads from a wall of the inlet passageway is to supply liquid under pressure to the passageway 2i at a lower pressure than the pressure of the liquid supplied tangentially of the chamber I i, as will hereinafter more clearly appear as this specification proceeds. Said passageway 22 is formed by drilling through the block it into the passageway Id, and by drilling through said block into said axial inlet 2i in a direction parallel to said passageway l9, and by closing the outer ends of said drilled passageways by threaded plugs 24 and 25, respectively.

As shown in Figure 3, the liquid diverting passageway 22 is perpendicular to the wall of the inlet passageway i9, although it may leave said wall of said inlet passageway in an angular direction with respect thereto, as shown in Figures 4 to 7. It has been found that where the diversion passageway leaves the inlet passageway at substantially right angles to the wall of said inlet passageway, a more uniform distribution of liquid droplets will be attained throughout the spray pattern than if said diversion passageway leaves said inlet passageway at an angle to the wall thereof. Where the diversion passageway leaves the inlet passageway at an angle to the wall thereof, as in Figures i to '7, the spray droplets are more heavily distributed in the center of the spray than at the edges thereof, such nozzles being suitable for use where it is necessary to use a plurality of fixed nozzles in order to adequately cover the area requiring protection.

When the threaded inlet portion I2 is connected to a pressure pipe or other source of supply of liquid under pressure, a portion of the liquid entering the nozzle through the common inlet I53 will be diverted through the diversion passageway 22 and will. enter the nozzle through the axial inlet 25, while the rest of the liquie will enter the chamber II in a direction tangential to the wall thereof, at a higher pressure than the pressure of the liquid entering through said axial inlet. This pressure differential is obtained by reason of the fact that the liquid entering the chamber I! through the common inlet it contains two forces, one being a static force due to the confinement of the liquid within said passageway, the other being the dynamic force of the liquid flowing through the passageway, due to its velocity of flow therethrough. Since the velocity of a stream of liquid flowing in an enclosed passageway is at a maximum at the center of the passageway, and is zero at the walls of the passageway, the dynamic force of the liquid due to its velocity is also maximum at the center of the passageway and zero at the walls of the passageway. This is taken advantage of by connecting the diversion inlet 22 into the wall of the common inlet i9, so that the static forces of the liquid entering said inlet I9 will act topropel the liquid into said diversion inlet 22. The liquid discharged tangentially of the wall of the chamber II will enter said chamber through the discharge end of the common inlet I9, so that both the dynamic and static forces of the liquid in the common inlet will act to propel the liquid tangentially of the walls of said chamber. The liquid entering the chamber tangentially of its walls will thus be at a higher pressure than the liquid entering the chamber axially of its walls.

Therefore, the liquid entering the chamber II in a straight line path in the direction of its axis, and at a lower pressure than the liquid entering said chamber tangentially of its walls, will interact with the swirling liquid entering said chamber from the tangential inlet. This will result in the discharge of a cone spray of liquid of relatively large droplets through the orifice I5 of a much wider spray angle than has heretofore been considered possible with a more uniform distribution of droplets throughout the spray pattern than has heretofore been attained, where the diversion passageway leaves the wall of the common inlet at substantially right angles with respect thereto, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3.

In the form of our invention shown in Figures 4 and 5, the nozzle illustrated is similar to that shown in Figures 1 and 2 and 3, so the same reference characters are applied to similar parts. In Figure 5, a diversion passageway 23 is shown as leading from a wall of an inlet passageway 24 at an obtuse angle to said wall, and as communicating with the axial inlet 2|. In this arrangement of said diversion passageway, the pressure of the liquid entering the axial inlet 2| will be greater than the pressure of liquid entering said inlet in the form shown in Figure 3, but will still be less than the pressure of the liquid entering the chamber II tangentially of the wall thereof. L

This will result in a spray of relatively large droplets of liquid, concentrated more heavily in the center of the circular cross-section of the spray cone than at its edges. Such a spray is of particular advantage where a number of nozzles are spaced uniformly to cover a relatively large area with spray and thesprays overlap at their edges.

In this form of nozzle, the inlet passageway 24 is reduced in diameter at the tangential discharge opening of the chamber I I, forming a shoulder or ridge 25 in said passageway at the point of discharge. This shoulder or ridge causes an increase in the pressure of the liquid in said inlet passageway 24, with the result that an increased amount of liquid enters the chamber I! through the axial inlet 2| than if said shoulder were absent, as in the form of our invention shown in Figure 3. By varying the diameter of the inlet passageway 2 and thus varying the width of the shoulder 25, a rather fine adjustment of the pressure differential between the axial and the tangential inlets may be obtained. The particular pressure ratio necessary for proper operation under various conditions of coverage and spacing of the nozzles may thus be assured.

In the form of our invention illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, a diversion passageway 26 is shown as leading from a common inlet passageway 21 into the nozzle chamber, at a relatively flat angle with respect to said inlet passageway. It is obvious that with this form of diversion passageway, the pressure of the liquid flowing therethrough will be greater than the pressure of the liquid flowing through the passageway 23 in the form of our invention shown in Figure 5, assuming that the pressures entering the common inlets are the samein both forms and that the common inlets and tangential inlets are of the same diameter. This increased pressure in the passageway 26 will result in a decrease in the difference in pressures between the liquid entering the chamber ll through the axial and tangential inlets, and a change in the spray pattern of the nozzle, from the form of nozzles illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive.

It will be seen from the foregoing that a novel form of spray nozzle, particularly adapted to control and extinguish fires through fixed installations, has been provided, and that this nozzle may be arranged to produce either a conical spray of droplets uniformly distributed throughout the entire spray pattern, or a spray of droplets of liquid more heavily concentrated toward the center of the spray than at its edges.

It may further be seen that these sprays may be obtained without the use of inserts in the nozzle, by taking advantage of the differential in pressure in the stream of flowing liquid, and by creating a swirling motion to the liquid taken from the high pressure side of the stream, and directing liquid from the low pressure side of the stream axially of the swirling stream of liquid, and discharging the two streams through a common restricted orifice.

It will likewise be seen that with the construction of the nozzle just described, all of the passageways through the nozzle and the conical outlet orifice leading therefrom may be relatively large (one-quarter inch and over), so as not to clog, thus rendering unnecessary the use of strainers.

While we have herein shown and described several forms in which our invention may be embodied, we wish it to be understood that we do not wish to be construed as limiting ourselves to the specific forms shown, excepting as expressly limited by the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A spray nozzle of the class described, having a body, a chamber therein having a circular wall, a liquid passageway in said body leading to said chamber and discharging thereinto tangentially of said circular wall, an outlet orifice from one end of said chamber, a second inlet passageway to said chamber discharging into the end thereof opposite from said outlet orifice, and a diversion passageway in said body leading from said liquid passageway transversely of said passageway and communicating with said second inlet passageway and diverting liquid from said first liquid passageway by the static pressure of the liquid flowing through said first liquid passageway.

2. A spray nozzle of the class described having a body, a cylindrical chamber within said body, a tangential inlet to said chamber arranged to discharge liquid thereinto tangentially of the wall thereof, an axial inlet entering one end of said chamber, a liquid passageway through said body leading to said tangential inlet, a liquid diversion passageway leading from said liquid passageway transversely of said passageway and communicating with said axial inlet for supplying liquid to said chamber at a pressure lower than the pressure of the liquid supplied through said tangential inlet by virtue of the static pressure of the liquid flowing through said liquid passageway, and a common restricted orifice leading from the opposite end of said chamber from said axial inlet.

3. A' spray nozzle of the class described having a body, a cylindrical chamber within said body, a tangential inlet to said chamber arranged to discharge liquid thereinto tangentially of the wall thereof, an axial inlet through one end of said chamber, a liquid passageway through said body leading to said tangential inlet, a liquid diversion passageway leading from said liquid passageway transversely of said passageway and communicating with said axial inlet for supplying liquid to said chamber through said aXial inlet at a pressure lower than the pressure of the liquid supplied through said tangential inlet by virtue of the static pressure of the liquid flowing through said liquid passageway, and a common outlet orifice leading from said chamber in alignment with said axial inlet, said outlet orifice having a conical inlet section converging from the cylindrical wall of said chamber and a diverging conical outlet section,

4. A spray nozzle of the class described having a body, a cylindrical chamber within said body, a tangential inlet to said chamber arranged to discharge liquid thereinto tangentially of the wall thereof, an axial inlet into one end of said chamber, a liquid passageway through said body leading to said tangential inlet, a liquid diversion passageway in said body leading from said liquid passageway in a direction transversely of the longitudinal axis thereof and arranged to supply liquid through said axial inlet at a pressure lower than the pressure of the liquid entering said chamber through said tangential inlet by virtue of the static pressure of liquid flowing through said liquid passageway, and a common restricted outlet orifice leading from said chamber in alignment with said axial inlet.

5. A spray nozzle of the class described having a body, a cylindrical chamber within said body, a tangential inlet to said chamber arranged to discharge liquid thereinto tangentially of the wall thereof, an axial inlet into one end of said chamber, a liquid passageway through said body leading to said tangential inlet, a liquid diversion passageway in said body leading from said inlet passageway in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof and communicating with said axial inlet for supplying liquid through said axial inlet at a pressure lower than the pressure of the liquid entering said chamber through said tangential inlet by virtue of the static pressure of liquid flowing through said liquid passageway, and a common outlet orifice leading from the end of said chamber opposite said axial inlet.

6. A spray nozzle of the class described having a body, a chamber within said body having a cylindrical wall, an axial inlet adjacent one end of said chamber, a discharge orifice leading from the opposite end of said chamber, a tangential inlet entering said chamber along the wall thereof and including a flow-balancing groove recessed within the wall of said chamber forming a partial continuation of said inlet and extending around said chamber for at least 180 of its circumference, a liquid passageway in said body leading to said tangential inlet, a diversion passageway leading from a wall of said liquid passageway and extending transversely of the longitudinal axis thereof, said diversion passageway communicating with said axial inlet and being so constructed and arranged as to supply to said chamber liquid at a lower pressure than the pres sure of the liquid supplied through said tangential inlet, and an outlet orifice from the opposite end of said chamber from said axial inlet.

7. A spray nozzle of the class described having a body, a chamber within said body having a cylindrical wall, an axial inlet adjacent one end of said chamber, a discharge orifice leading from the opposite end of said chamber, a flow-balancing groove in the wall of said chamber arcuate in cross-section and extending therearound for at least of the circumference thereof, a tangential inlet to said chamber at one end of said groove, a liquid passageway in said body leading to said tangential inlet, a diversion passageway leading from a wall of said liquid passageway and extending transversely of the longitudinal axis thereof, said'diversion passageway communicating with'said axial inlet and being so constructed and arranged as to supply liquid thereto at a pressure lower than the pressure of liquid supplied through said tangential inlet, and an outlet orifice from the opposite end of said chamber from said axial inlet, said outlet orifice being in alignment with said axial inlet and being of diverging conical form.

8. A spray nozzle of the class described having a bod a chamber within said body having a cylindrical wall, an axial inlet adjacent one end of said chamber, a discharge orifice leading from the opposite end of said chamber, a flow-balancing groove in the Wall of said chamber arcuate in cross-section and extending therearound for at least 180 of the circumference thereof, a tangential inlet leading into said chamber at one end of said groove, a liquid passageway in said body leading to said tangential inlet, a diversion passageway leading from a wall of said liquid passageway and extending transversely of the longitudinal axis thereof, said diversion passageway communicating with said axial inlet and being so constructed and arranged as to supply liquid thereto at a pressure lower than the pressure of liquid supplied through said tangential inlet, and a member closing the opposite end of said chamber from said axial inlet, said member having a conical wall portion converging from the wall of said chamber and having a diverging r conical outlet orifice leading from said converging wall portion.

9. A spray nozzle of the class described having a body, a chamber within said body having a cylindrical wall, an axial inlet adjacent one end of said chamber, a discharge orifice leading from the opposite end of said chamber, a flow-balancing groove in the wall of said chamber arcuate in cross-section and extending around said wall for at least 180 of the circumference thereof, a tangential inlet leading into said chamber at one end of said groove, a liquid passageway in said body leading to said tangential inlet, a diversion passageway leading from a wall of said liquid passageway and extending transversely of the longitudinal axis thereof, said diversion passageway communicating with said axial inlet and being so constructed and arranged as to supply liquid thereto at a pressure lower than the pressure of liquid supplied through said tangential inlet, and a member threaded in the opposite end of said chamber from said axial inlet, said member having an inner converging conical wall portion leading to and communicating with a diverging conical outlet orifice in longitudinal alignment with said axial inlet.

10. A spray nozzle of the class described having a body, a chamber therein having a cylindrical wall, an outlet orifice from one end of said chamber in axial alignment with the center thereof, a liquid inlet passageway in said body leading to said chamber and discharging thereinto tangentially of said wall, a second inlet passageway to said chamber discharging into the opposite end thereof from said outlet orifice in axial alignment therewith, a diversion passageway in said body leading from said first inlet passageway to said second inlet passageway and diverting liquid from said first liquid passageway lay the static pressure of the liquid flowing through said first liquid passageway, and said first liquid passageway having a reduction in cross-sectional area adjacent the wall of said chamber forming a shoulder facing the flow of liquid through said passageway, and increasing the pressure on the upstream side of said shoulder, with a resultant increase in volume of the liquid entering said chamber through said axial inlet.

11. In a spray nozzle of the class described, a body, a chamber therein having a cylindrical wall,

I a liquid passageway in said body leading into said chamber through said wall, a flow balancing groove recessed in said Wall substantially conforming in cross-section to a portion of the crosssectional area of said inlet and extending around said wall for a portion of the circumference thereof and forming a partial continuation of said inlet, an outlet orifice from one end of said chamber in axial alignment with the center thereof, an axial inlet to said chamber in axial alignment with said outlet orifice, a liquid diversion passageway leading from said liquid passageway to said axial inlet, and said liquid passageway being of a reduced cross-sectional area adjacent said wall of said chamber on the downstream side of the point where said diversion passageway leads from said first liquid passageway, said portion of reduced cross-sectional area forming a shoulder facing the flow of liquid through said passageway and increasing the pressure and volume of liquid discharged through said axial inlet.

12. In a spray nozzle of the class described, a body, a chamber within said body having a cylindrical wall, an inlet to said :body and entering said chamber tangentially along said wall, a flow balancing groove recessed in said wall and form ing a partial continuation of said inlet substantially conforming in cross-section to a portion of the cross-sectional area of said inlet and extending along said wall to the side of said chamber opposite said inlet and conducting a portion of the liquid entering said chamber from said inlet along the cylindrical wall of said chamber in the form of a stream, and then projecting it into said chamber at the side thereof opposite said inlet and balancing the flow of liquid into said chamber along said wall, an axial inlet to one end of said chamber, a liquid diversion passageway leading from a wall of said first inlet passageway and communicating with said axial inlet for supplying liquid to said chamber through said axial inlet at a pressure lower than the pressure of the liquid supplied through said first inlet, and an outlet orifice from the end of said chamber opposite said axial inlet.

DAVID BENDERSKY.

FRANK H. GAGE.

WALLACE M. YOCUM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS Number Name Date 1,961,408 Wahlin June 5, 1934 2,257,691 Keep Sept. 30, 1941 2,415,794 Keep Feb. 11, 1947 2,429,267 Keep Oct. 21, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 396,476 France Jan. 28, 1909 505,777 France May 15, 1920 689,691 France June 2. 1930 

